Archive for category: Acting and Extras Work in Sydney

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Lockdown Update

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The Film and TV industry has responded to the latest lockdown professionally; working with Government to ensure film sets that are still operating are safe, postponing some upcoming productions and making sure legal obligations are fulfilled where shoots have had to be cancelled.

Some shoots are still going ahead where they can. Last year, Children of the Corn, was filmed entirely during lockdown with clever filming techniques to ensure that social distancing was maintained throughout the shoot. Although work in film and TV is a lot of fun, it is still “work” and for the most part can’t be undertaken at home. If you score a job during this time, please ensure you follow the COVID-19 protocols sent to you.

Pre-production submissions for upcoming TV series, films and TVCs are still happening as production companies get organised for returning to set. There may be longer than usual delays between successful submission and being on set. If you get a job, we will keep you updated about where you need to be and when.

Most of all take care, follow the health advice and hang in there. As usual, we are working hard to ensure that we place as many people as possible, both now and when life returns to normal.

Top Self Test Tips

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Many MCTV members will be familiar with self-tests. Even before lockdown, self-tests were a popular way for casting agents to view submissions. A self-test requires you to film yourself performing a scene. A brief is emailed to you which will contain details of the scenario, wardrobe requirements and script. The great thing about self-tests is you get to do as many takes as you like to get it right. The other great thing is they are generally for the bigger paying jobs (usually over $1000), for featured roles where movement or speaking may be involved, so it pays to do a good test.

Important tips when self-testing from Paul, our head booker:

  • Get the light right – good natural light is best
  • Set up your space, no dirty clothes on the floor, no unmade beds and no one else in your test
  • Use your phone in landscape not portrait
  • Make sure you do your ID (name, agent, age, height etc) clearly at the end of your self-test
  • Submit your file in the correct format and by the due date

Try to relax and have fun and let the real you come through!

Hardball Series 2 is Here

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If you haven’t caught up with it yet, series 2 of Hardball has arrived! The series was filmed in Sydney late last year and features 35 MCTV members.

In Series 2, Mikey and the gang go on an epic adventure to win an even more epic state doubles handball tournament.

The entire series is now streaming on ABC iView. Congratulations to everyone who worked on this.

The Days of Abandonment in Sydney

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Maggie Betts, writer-director of HBOs film adaptation of The Days of Abandonment has arrived in Sydney, after announcing Australia as the filming location on Instagram. The production, which stars Natalie Portman (also Executive Producer), Rafe Spall (Long Story Short) and Mary-Louise Parker is based on Elena Ferrante’s 2002 novel of the same name. As reported by Deadline, Portman plays Tess, who is “a woman who abandoned her own dreams for a stable home life,” but when “abandoned by her husband, her world is thrown off its axis.” It promises to be “a visceral, no-holds-barred journey into the mind of a woman in crisis that confronts the norms of motherhood and female identity as Tess traverses the darkest reaches of her own psyche.”

Submissions have been happening this week, best of luck to everyone who has been submitted so far.

📷: https://www.natalieportman.com/2021/06/16/film-tidbits/

Crowe goes all-in on Sydney

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Submissions have started for Russell Crowe’s new action thriller Poker Face. Sydney is set to become Miami for the movie, with the Daily Mail reporting high speed car chases through the Harbour Tunnel and luxurious scenes at the new $140m Crown residences penthouse and Darling are planned. The movie tells the story of a sinister high stakes poker game between childhood friends.

Crowe is directing and starring alongside Wu-Tang Clan frontman and rapper, RZA. Natalie Portman is also rumoured to be circling a role in the production. It’s great to see more of our Aussie stars coming home to make movies and bringing productions with them, boosting the local industry. The movie was originally planned to be filmed in Miami, Florida, however Crowe demanded the film be made in Sydney.

Best of luck to everyone who’s been submitted so far.

More Shang-Chi Teasers

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Marvel has dropped the official trailer for the highly anticipated “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” ahead of its Australian release on September 2. The movie’s plot has been kept tightly under wraps, but this trailer shows Shang-Chi’s father, Wen-Wu (aka “the Mandarin”), played by legend Tony Leung – wielding the “Ten Rings”. Wen-Wu is an arch villian who leads the Ten Rings terrorist organization. Having trained Shang-Chi as one of the world’s greatest fighters, Wen-Wu is now demanding he joins him in Ten Rings.

Shang-Chi resists, but will wage many battles against many assassins and grotesque combatants (some of whom MCU fans will recognise from other franchises) to avoid the path of evil.

The trailer looks amazing and we’re so proud the movie was made here in Sydney with so many MCTV extras. Can’t wait!!

Film Industry Soldiers On

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While the streets of Sydney may be eerily quiet as we all lockdown, it’s a film crew’s dream to have the place to themselves. While there have been changes to filming schedules, many Sydney productions are still filming despite the current situation, as reported in Variety.

John Schwarz of Deeper Water Films is currently filming the Stan original film “Transfusion” said “If you read Sydney is in lockdown you might think it’s not going to be a place where you want to go and shoot. But production is still open to work and this will pass. I believe there won’t be any interruption to filming.”

“We haven’t stopped production at all. Today we are shooting a motor-cycle scene with Sam Worthington just south of Sydney. So there has been no change to the production through this lockdown. We have very safe covid protocols which we have always practiced and continue to.”

The industry has formulated the Australian Screen Production Industry COVID-Safe Guidelines to assist productions in keeping everyone safe. Most productions are requiring a negative COVID test before you are allowed on set. These restrictions are necessary to protect everyone and make sure the film industry can continue its current COVID 19 boom.

MCTV are still submitting for roles at the moment. Our office is temporarily closed for photography appointments, however we are still accepting online applications.

We hope everyone is staying safe and keeping happy during this difficult time. Take care and look forward to seeing everyone again as soon as we are able.

Photo credit: Variety

Transfusion Already at Cannes!

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Transfusion has been launched for worldwide sales this week at an online pre-Cannes screenings event. This is a precursor to the major Cannes film festival and marketplace, which will happen in July. Great news for everyone involved in the production and sounds like it will be another international Aussie hit. Transfusion is expected in cinemas locally in 2022, followed by release on Stan.

Filming commenced in Sydney last week and more details of the movie are emerging. Worthington’s co-stars have been named, Aussie Phoebe Tonkin and newcomer Edward Carmody. The synopsis of the thriller has also been released, Worthington will play Ryan Logan, a former Special Forces operative who is battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife (Tonkin) and is thrust into the criminal underworld to keep his only son (Billy Logan, played by Carmody) from being taken from him. Matt Nable, who wrote and is directing Transfusion, will also feature in the cast as a character called ‘Johnny’.

Find out more here.

Pictured L-R: Phoebe Tonkin, Sam Worthington and Matt Nable set to star in Transfusion

Taylor’s Island to start filming in July

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Submissions for featured roles have been happening for Taylor’s Island. The new teen action-comedy series, to be released internationally, consists of 20×22 minute episodes and follows 14 year old Taylor Young. Taylor is fascinated by the phenomena surrounding a mysterious island ever since her uncle’s disappearance there. With her gang of friends, Taylor is determined to get to the bottom of the secrets and inexplicable events of the island. In the pursuit of the truth, the friends go on an adventure of a lifetime, facing endless beaches, hidden treasures, cryptic riddles, and thrilling legends waiting to be unravelled. The show will be filmed on the Gold Coast, starting in July.

The series is being produced by Fremantle Australia, Nordic Entertainment Group and Screen Australia. The show is expected to air in early 2022 with international distribution through ViacomCBS, Nickelodeon and Network 10 in Australia. Chris Oliver-Taylor, Fremantle’s CEO Asia Pacific, who will Executive Produce the series, said, “Taylor and her friends are fearless, curious and brave, driven by an insatiable thirst for solving mysteries and discovering the truth.”

The show has been created by a diverse team of talented writers, including Alix Beane (Mustangs FC), Hannah Samuel (The PM’s Daughter), Marisa Nathar (Mustangs FC) (pictured above L-R).

Goodluck to everyone who has been submitted. Read more here.

Furiosa Update!

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Anya Taylor-Joy has shared her excitement about working with Director George Miller on Furiosa, ahead of the planned August start to filming here in Australia. The Mad Max prequel will also star Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen).

Taylor Joy told Variety magazine:

“The thing that makes me most excited about ‘Furiosa’ is, No. 1, George Miller” Taylor-Joy says. “That brain is incredible. I feel so lucky and privileged to spend time with him, and to grow alongside him. I’m also really excited to do something physical. To physically become something else is something that will weirdly give me a lot of peace. I’m quite excited to work hard.”

Furiosa tells the origin story of Imperator Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron in 2015 in Mad Max: Fury Road. The film was hugely popular with audiences and went on to win 6 Academy Awards. Fury Road was filmed in Sydney and featured over 40 MCTV extras, who are now part of one the most iconic cinema franchises ever. More to come on this one….

Picture Credit: Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlize Theron People